Rail-joint.



No. 680,538. Patented Aug. l3, I901,

BA l L J l N T.

(Application filed Jan. 2 1901 (No Model.)

2/. 1 H iv of a suitable length to extend the desired dis- 45 UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEICE.

\VILLIAM J. MOCRORY, OF ROCHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 680,538, dated August 13, 1901.

Application filed January 2, 1901.

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. MOORORY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester,Beavercounty,Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will en-' able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in railroad-rail joints.

The object of the invention is to provide an exceedingly strong, effective, and durable joint for railroad-rails whereby the employment of nuts and bolts, and consequently nut-locks, can be dispensed with and which can be easily applied to the rails now in common use and when once properly applied will reduce to a minimum all danger of accidental displacement and looseness of parts.

The invention consists in certain novel features in construction and in combinations and in arrangements of parts, as more fully and particularlypointed out and specified hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which show for the purposes of explanation a construction as an example of a device within the spirit and scope of myinvention, Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a rail with a joint constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the adjacent ends of two rails jointed together by the device of Fig. 1, the ties or sleepers being partially broken away. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 2.

In the drawings, a a are railroadrails of the construction in general use.

b b are the usual sleepers or cross'ties on which the rails rest and to which they are secured.

c c are the angle-bars or angle fish-plates trance along the two railsin opposite directions from their meeting or adjacent extremities. Two angle-bars are employed at each joint on opposite sides of the rails, as usual, and bridging the break between the rails. The two angle-bars of each joint are similar in construction, and each has the vertical flange extending from the foot of the rail to the un- Serial No. 41,897. (No model.)

der side of the head thereof and the bottom flange resting on the foot of the rail and usually projecting outwardly beyond a side edge of the foot. The top edge of the vertical flange of each angle-bar is preferably (al though not necessarily) formed with a head 0', formed to conform to the shape of the under surface of the head or tread of the rail and have an extensive bearing-surface there- 'against, and thereby tend to brace and support the rail against lateral strain and pressure. of the angle-bar is formed to conform to the angle and formation of the top face of one side of the foot of the rail, so that the under face of each angle-bar approximately through- The formation of the rails and angle-bars is usually such that the angle-bars can be insertedlaterally between the heads and feet of the rails and fit therein approximately as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Clamping and locking means are provided at both ends of the angle-bars to force the bars up against the rail-heads and to force them inwardly toward the rail-webs or vertical portions, and thereby lock and wedge the angle-bars inwardly against the inclined faces of the rail feet and heads. Various devices and arrangements can be employed for accomplishing these results within the spirit and scope of my invent-ion and Without the employment of the bolts and nuts. In the specific construction shown in the drawings I employ two tie bars or plates at (1, arranged at opposite ends of the joint and preferably similar in construction. Each bar or plate at is formed to pass transversely beneath a rail and rest longitudinally on a sleeper or tie and at its projecting ends, beyond the railfeet, an gle-bars, and clamps, is provided with transverse openings d, through which spikes The under face of the bottom fian'ge out its full length and width engages and rests walls d d of said seat abut against the outer ports firmly lock the tie-plates against move ment in any direction. The ends of the tieplate beyond the side edges of the rail-feet are enlarged upwardly to form clamping or gripping jaws d of great strength and rigidity. Thesejaws are peculiarly formed .to grip and-interlock with the projecting end edges of the angle-bars. In the specific example shown in the drawings the inner vertical face of each jaw is formed with a transverse (usually V- shaped) groove, which receives the correspondingly-formed edge of the anglebar. This groove is inclined or tapered transversely,'and the edge of the angle-bar is correspondingly inclined or tapered. I prefer to form the transverse groove and the corresponding edge portion of the angle-bar of fiat abutting faces. The under face 2 of the tie-plate, which is transversely inclined upwardly and outwardly from the foot of the rail, and the corresponding approximately parallel abutting face 2' of the angle-bar edge are arranged in planes intersecting about at right anglesthe linesof lateral strain on the rails. The opposite or upper face 3 of the groove in the clamp or tie-plate and its corresponding approximately parallel abutting face 3 of the angle-bar are both shown about at right angles to the faces 2 2, although, as at present advised, I do not wish to so limit my invention.

Each tie-plate in effect forms a clamp abutting against the corresponding end portions of the angle-bars. The inclined abutting faces of each clamp are oppositely arranged, so that as said clamp is forced longitudinally of the angle-bars in a direction awayfrom the adjacent extremities thereof said bars will be both forced inwardlyof the rail and rigidlylocked. The clamp at the opposite ends of the anglebar moves in the opposite direction to lock the bars and rail together at that end of the joint. It will hence be observed that it is only necessary to provide the end portions of the angle-bars with the longitudinally-inclined wedging-faces 2 3'. I preferably form the under abutting faces 2 2 with an inclinalion-or taper less than that of the faces 3 3, so that when the parts have been assembled and a clamp is driven onto the ends of the angle-bars the faces 2 2 at opposite ends thereof will tend to slightly elevate the lower will wedge and force the angle-bars inwardly into the space between the heads and feet of the rail and force said bars down tothe feet with great pressure and form and constitute a most positive and rigid lock which cannot work loose.

The joint by reason of its formation and rigid construction cannot spread, and by reason of the opposite tapers at opposite ends of the anglebars the joint cannot creep longitudinally of the rail, as a tendency to such movement will cause tightening of the joint.

The clamps and angle-bars can be placed in position or removed without removing either the sleepers or rails, and yet when the clamps have been locked in position and spiked they are rigidly held by the wedging-faces and also by the spikes, which immovably lock the entire structure.

While I attain great strength and material advantages by employing the two faces at each end of a clamp and angle-bar and by locking said faces at the outer edge of the angle-bars, yet I do not,,as at present advised, desire to so limit my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A rail-joint comprisingrails, angle-bars formed to fit inwardly between the heads and feet of the rails, a tie-bar arranged transversely of and beneaththe plane of the rails and provided with transversely-grooved end clamps receiving the outer edges of the opposite angle-bars, said tie-bar formed with a depressed rail-receiving seat having edge walls abutting against the longitudinal rail edges, said angleebar outer edges and said grooves arranged above said edge walls of said seat, substantially as described.

2. A rail-joint comprising rails, similar angle-bars formed to engage the heads and feet of the rails and permit inward wedging movement of their lower portions toward. the webs of the rails, the lower outer edges of the angle-bars projecting outwardly beyond and above the planes of the side edges of the railfeet and formed with inclines at their end portions, tie-bars provided with depressed transverse rail-receiving seats holding the rails against independent lateral play, the 0ppositc ends of the tie-bars having upwardlyprojecting clamps formed at their upper portions above the outer edges of the rail-feet with inclined grooves receiving said edges of the angle-bars, substantially as described.

3. A rail-joint comprising the rails, similar angle bars wedged inwardly between the heads and feet of the rails, a tie-bar formed with the intermediate depressed railreceiving seathaving edge walls engaging the outer edges of the rail-feet to hold the rail against lateral play and provided above said walls with upwardly-projecting end clamps interlocking with the outer edges of the anglebars above the outer edges of the rail-feet and forcing said bars inwardly, substantially as described.

4:. A rail-joint comprising angle-bars having heads at their upper edges formed to fit IOO and rock on the under sides of the rail-heads and outwardly projected flanges at their lower ends to fit on the rail-feet and project outwardly above and beyond the outer edges of said feet, the inner lower portions of said angle-bars out of contact with the rail-webs, whereby the angle-bars can be forced inwardly to wedge between the rail heads and feet, and tie-bars having end clamps projected up at the outer edges of the rail-feet and formed at their inner faces with double-faced inclined grooves receiving the lower outer edges of the angle-bars, substantially as described.

5. A rail-joint comprising the anglebars formed to wedge inwardly between'the rail heads and feet and leave spaces between their inner portions and the rail-webs, the lower flanges of said bars projecting outwardly above and beyond the outer edges of the railfeet and having double-end inclines, and tiebars having upwardly-projecting end clamps abutting against said rail feet edges and above the same having double-faced inclined grooves receiving said inclined edges of said angle-bars, substantially as described.

6. A rail-joint comprising angle-bars having rounded top edges to fit and rock on the under sides of the rail-heads and bottom flanges fitting the rail-feet to move inwardly and cause said bars to wedge between the rail heads and feet, the outer edges of said bars located above the outer edges of the railfeet and at each end portion having differently arranged and inclined faces, and the tie-bars having the upwardly projected end clamps having inclines at their inner faces corresponding to and registering with said in clined portions of the angle-bar edges, whereby the lower portions of the angle-bars are driven inwardly by said tie-bars, said anglebars rocking at their upper edges on the railheads, substantially as described.

' 7. Arail-jointcomprisingangle-bars fitting and wedging between the rail heads and feet and having portions of their projected lower outer edges V-shaped in cross-section, the two fiat faces of each V-shaped portion inclined longitudinal of the angle-bar, and tie-bars having upwardly-projected end clamps, each clamp at its inner face having an inclined transverse V-shaped groove corresponding to and receiving a V-shaped portion of the anglebar edge, substantially as described.

8. A rail-joint having angle-bars formed to wedge inwardly of the rails between the heads and feet thereof and each having a flat longitudinally-inclined face also inclined upwardly and outwardly transversely of the angle-bars and another longitudinally and transversely inclined flat face, in combination with a tie bar having upwardly projected end clamps interlocking with said angle-bars,each clamp formed with an inclined flat face abutting against and corresponding to said firstnamed face of the angle-bar to force the angle-bar up against the rail-heads, and with another inclined face abutting against and corresponding to said last-named face of the angle-bar to force said bar inwardly of the rail, substantially as described.

9. Arail-joint comprising angle-bars formed to wedge inwardly of the rails between and abutting against the head and feet thereof, each angle-bar having a longitudinally-inclined face at its lower outer edge, said face also inclined upwardly and outwardly transversely of said bar, and another and differently transversely and longitudinally inclined face, and a tie-bar having upwardlyprojecting end clamps overlapping said lower outer edges of the angle-bars and formed at their inner faces with corresponding faces abutting against said faces of the angle-bars to force said angle-bars up against the railheads andwedge the sameinwardly between the rail heads and feet, substantially as described.

10. A rail joint comprising angle bar's formed to move and wedge inwardly between the rail heads and feet, each angle-bar hav ing the end portions of its lower outer edge formed with difierently-inclined wedge-faces,- and tie-bars having upwardly-projecting end clamps, the face of each clamp grooved to re-' ceive said edges of the angle-bars and formed with corresponding differently inclined wedge-faces abutting againstsaid faces of the angle-bars, substantially as described.

11. A rail-joint comprising rails, the anglebars wedging inwardly between the rail heads and feet and having portions of their outer lower edges formed V-shaped in cross-section,- the fiat faces of said edges inclining longitu dinally at different degrees, and a tie-bar having the u pwardly-proj ected end clamps, each at its inner face having a V-shaped transverse groove receiving the edge of an angle-bar, the flat faces of said groove difierently inclined to abut against the corresponding angle-bar faces, for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM J. MOCRORY.

\Vitnesses:

W. G. MAsrEN, J AMES M. PORTER. 

